Latest Reseal - S&W 79g

[paulleve]

This week I resealed a couple of Smith & Wesson 78g (.22) and 79g (.177) pellet pistols. This 79g was purchased from the original owner who bought it back in 1977 for $35.95 plus tax. (I paid quite a bit more than that for it a few months ago!) It's holding air and shooting hard, so I'm looking forward to getting it out this week after the rain passes.

The Smith airguns were made from 1971 until 1978, and feel more like a real pistol than a pellet gun.



I love finding these with the original paperwork. This one came with the Owner's Manual, parts list, pink barrel wrap, completed warranty card and original receipt from Leslie's Bargain World.



Also included was a partial tin of S&W pellets and one original unused CO2 cartridge.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I have the 79G and it needs a re-seal. I bought it new in 1976 at Ivanhoe's in Watertown. Needed a LTC and had to fill out an FA-10 (tissue paper) back then for airguns.

 

[paulleve]

I have the 79G and it needs a re-seal. I bought it new in 1976 at Ivanhoe's in Watertown. Needed a LTC and had to fill out an FA-10 (tissue paper) back then for airguns.

My father bought this 78g at the Spencer Fair in February of '76. When I came across this pistol in non-working condition I decided that I'd give a reseal a try. The reseal was a success, and it was amazing shooting it after it had been packed away for some 35 years! While going through some of my father's paperwork I came across the FA-10 that was completed when he bought it. He also bought a .22 Ruger Single Six at the same time, but they wouldn't transfer two pistols to him on the same day. And yes, he did need an LTC to buy this!

 

[steven grammont]

Those are cool , looks like the model 41

 

[Len-2A Training]

Those are cool , looks like the model 41

It was actually designed to look like the S&W 41.

 

[paulleve]

Those are cool , looks like the model 41

Smith marketed them as a 41 trainer, with lower operating cost and the ability to shoot in the basement or backyard. They all feature a power adjustment at the muzzle, and the earlier pistols also had an adjustable trigger. The only other air pistol line with similar features and quality you would have found in most department stores was the Crosman Mark I (.22) and Mark II (.177). These were based on the Ruger Mark 1, and like the 78/79g they feel like you're holding a real pistol rather than a pellet gun.



This is the same 79g from the post above shown next to an early model Mark I. The Mark I also has an adjustable power setting and trigger. (Both pistols were designed by the same engineer, so their operation is quite similar.) Airgun guys love to argue over which is better. I'm a Smith guy, but could have also turned out to be a Mark guy had my Dad brought one of those home in '76 rather than the 78g!




Other department store pistols of the era were about half the price of the 78g and Mark I. They shoot BBs only, and are made of stamped steel and plastic so they fee much cheaper in the hand. The Daisy 1200 weighs 1.6 lbs and the Crosman 454 is 1.8. Both the 79g and Mark I come in around 2.7 lbs.